Kudzu
Hardly a favorite.....
No restoration in the Southeast would be complete without mentioning kudzu (Pueraria lobata). This is possibly the fastest growing of all vines in the temperate zones of the world.
Kudzu was introduced from the Orient as an ideal soil stabilizer to protect damaged soils in the South. But this plant can grow 50 feet in a season, smothering every other plant in its path, and is now referred to as the "green cancer" of the South.
Kudzu has overtaken this abandoned house in Georgia.
Photo Courtesy Jack Anthony
Will you be the next person to introduce a noxious weed to your neighborhood?
A broken fence, overgrown kudzu, weed invasion, thick grass as high as your knees: one Saturday you look into your backyard and see a virtual landscaping nightmare.
Whether its' kudzu, garlic mustard or purple loosetrife, the best way to deal with an invasive plant is to keep it out of your garden. Here the experts give you tips on dealing with enthusiastic unwelcome garden guests.
The changes bring some benefits—Greens taste sweeter after the first frost, and the bugs and the kudzu are finally in full-scale retreat.
Notable intrusions have been made by Norway maple in Northeastern woodlands; kudzu in the South; melaleuca in Florida; tamarisk along waterways in the Southwest; Russian olive in the plains and mountain states; ...
Kudzu (Pueraria lobata)
Oriental bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus)
Porcelain berry (Ampelopsis brevipedunculata)
Mile-a-minute vine (Polygonum perfoliatum)
Moonseed (Menispermum canadense)
Periwinkle (Vinca major) ...
4. Causing harm to the environment (For example, water hyacinth cuts off waterways in warm climates; kudzu vine smothers out and kills vegetation, including mature trees.) ...
If you live in Arizona or Arkansas it is illegal to grow these for the stated reason that they are invasive, but since Kudzu (the plant that ate the South) is not prohibited, ...
The kudzu vines had to go and were eventually used to make baskets. The old fencing was torn out and replaced with a privacy fence. The garden is surrounded by oaks on all sides which means sunlight is at a premium.
Its roots and leaves release substances that inhibit the growth of other plants. This is an aggressive and opportunistic plant. In the south, it often takes over after the eradication of the equally invasive plant, kudzu.
 See also: Plant, Gardening, Flower, Grow, Native
|
